Knee injuries New Haven, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to accomplish a wide array of movements like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other daily activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently had a knee injury or suffer from chronic knee pain, it is essential to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the New Haven, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we offer safe and effective care to hundreds of New Haven, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides individually tailored, evidence-based analysis and treatment for people with knee injuries in New Haven, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in customized treatment plans created specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by New Haven, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to serving the individual needs of each New Haven, MO patient we see.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest and most complex joints in the body. It attaches the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone). The fibula (the small bone that runs next to the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that comprise the knee joint. Encircling the knee are leg muscles, which are responsible for the knee’s movements, and tendons and ligaments that join the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which give support and stability. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which provide stability to the front and back of the knee, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL), which stabilize side-to-side movement. The medial and lateral menisci are shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Owing to the complexity of the joint and the pressure placed on the knee, with structures that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that are suffered. If you’ve sustained a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of New Haven, MO area physical therapists. Our team of expert therapists who are highly knowledgeable when treating knee injuries will guide you in your recovery and restore full mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains are knee injuries that can hurt a lot, and they occur when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if untreated or cared for improperly can lead to chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are often the result of acute twisting injuries, or injuries caused by external forces that stretch or tear a ligament. It is usually a sports related injury that comes from force, such as a hit to the front or outside of the knee. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very typical and are caused by weakness, muscle fatigue or poor mechanics. Symptoms include:

• Swelling
• Weakness or tenderness
• Pain and stiffness
• Popping
• Muscle Spasms

Torn cartilage can frequently take place in tandem with sprains, and happen when damage to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically caused by forcefully twisting or rotating your knee and is common in contact sports such as football, as well as sports like soccer or baseball with repeated leaping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can occur with little or no trauma as the knee cartilage loses flexibility and pliability with age. Symptoms include:

• Soreness when training or exercising
• Buckling or locking of the knee joint
• Crunching or popping noises when walking
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Inability to bend or extend the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also called “jumper’s knee,” is caused by swelling of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is commonly the main symptom of this sort of knee injury, and at the start it might only occur when training or exercising. It often stems from overuse. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If unattended, eventually you could find it difficult to climb stairs or even rise from a chair. That’s why it’s vital to receive physical therapy for knee injuries.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a knee injury marked by pain that is generally felt in the front of the knee and worsens as time goes on. The pain is caused by tracking and alignment problems between the patella and femur and is often experienced climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The specific cause is not understood yet; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists think these knee injuries happen because of general overuse and weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are an especially painful of of knee injuries and necesitate urgent medical treatment. More destructive fractures can require surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries related to fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that typically takes place when you fall exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto accident or experience another type of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it straight
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone can shatter or can suffer a clean break. Because distal femoral knee injuries can injure the cartilage in the knee, they can sometimes be harder to treat. They usually occur in the elderly as their bones weaken, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when putting weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and aching
  • The leg may look shorter and contorted
• Proximal Tibia: frequently injure the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it connects to the knee, is softer than the rest of the bone. These knee injuries often take place when the femur is forced by trauma into the soft bone at the top of the tibia. Proximal tibia knee injuries are sometimes minor breaks that occur from excessive activity, but most happen because of falling, sports injuries or car accidents. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling surrounding the knee
  • Visually obvious deformity or misalignment
  • Numb, pale, or cold feet, as the flow of blood to the foot could be restricted

Dislocation of the knee or kneecap can either occur when the femur and tibia are pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is pushed out of place. These are frequently caused by extreme force from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a somewhat atypical structure of the knee are at a higher risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a New Haven, MO doctor can put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important aspect of the recovery process to reduce swelling, gradually improve movement and increase strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be both tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often occur in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing direction quickly. The PCL can frequently be torn when there is trauma to the front of the knee as it is bent. Symptoms of these knee injuries include inflammation and lack of stability. While ACL tears are frequently accompanied by harm to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is blunt force that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is vital to receive the correct immediate and long-term treatment after sustaining a knee injury. The treatment you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In the event of knee injuries involving apparent and severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a New Haven, MO ER doctor will endeavor to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other means of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A New Haven, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and mobility of your knee while looking for inflammation or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human movement and conduct free, no obligation injury screenings for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can reveal broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from different angles to make cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help reveal knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to create images of the soft tissue in your knee. Your doctor may rotate and extend your knee at different angles to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is frequently implemented to show soft tissue injuries, such as ACL tears or patellar tendonitis.

If you are dealing with pain caused by a knee injury, contact Axes Physical Therapy to work with a New Haven, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your movement, your mobility, and will also study the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in New Haven, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which might include an appointment with a New Haven, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Small knee injuries can be treated using the RICE Method: rest, ice, gentle compression, and elevation. If you feel pain, you need to rest and to momentarily stop any activity you think may have resulted in your injury. Seek medical attention if you hear a popping noise or feel loss of stability at the time of your injury, if you experience severe pain or swelling, cannot move the knee, or are unable to bear weight without pain. With some serious knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is needed to correct the structure of the knee and return functionality. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A New Haven, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore motion and strength to your knee as you recover. Typical therapies for knee injuries include (depending on your injury):

• Stretches and strengthening exercises of the entire lower extremity
• Core strengthening
• Ice and heat
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Electrical stimulation
• Proprioceptive exercises
• Functional return to sports, activity, and exercises

At Axes Physical Therapy, our treatment plans are grounded in proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We guide you in your recuperation to safely return you to the activities you love.

We treat a wide variety of conditions and complaints and have a team of specialists ready to help you. Some of our other services are:

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are dealing with knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you require the expert advice of New Haven, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and return you to full mobility. Axes Physical Therapy will help you get back to the sports and activities you love with the dedicated, individualized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.